Posts by Madeleine Muzdakis

Madeleine Muzdakis

Madeleine Muzdakis is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and a historian of early modern Britain & the Atlantic world. She holds a BA in History and Mathematics from Brown University and an MA in European & Russian Studies from Yale University. Madeleine has worked in archives and museums for years with a particular focus on photography and arts education. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, film photography, and studying law while cuddling with her cat Georgia.
History
July 14, 2024

Meet the Mysterious Beast of Gévaudan, France’s 18th-Century “Werewolf”

Legends about werewolves are ancient. Mentions of men morphing into wolves appear in ancient Near Eastern, Nordic, and Greek literature and myths. The sensational nature of the mythical creature captures a sense of horror and magic that has endured from these ancient mentions to the modern Twilight. But the fearsome werewolves were particularly sensationalized in certain periods.

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Science
July 9, 2024

Subvocalization: Why Most of Us Have a Voice in Our Heads When We Read

As you read these words, you can probably hear them being pronounced in your head. It's like listening to an audiobook or hearing someone read a fairytale's beginning. This process of reading aloud inside your head is very common, although some people try to purposefully eliminate the practice for faster reading. This internal speech is called subvocalization. Why humans have developed this habit and what it means for cognition are fascinating topics of scientific study.

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Endangered Animals
July 6, 2024

Wild Bornean Clouded Leopard Family Caught on Film for the First Time

Few creatures are as adorable in the wild as the big cats or, in this case, the medium-sized cats. Agile nocturnal predators, the Bornean clouded leopard makes up for its smaller stature with its exceptionally long canines and long, spotted tails. Known scientifically as Neofelis diardi borneensis, the adorable cats are incredibly elusive; they are rarely seen in person or even captured by cameras on their native island of Indonensian Borneo.

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My Modern Met

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